Shiv Sena flexes muscles in Ayodhya, seeks to gain ground

Shiv Sena is all set to find feet again as its chief Uddhav Thackeray, along with trainloads of Shiv Sainiks, ...Read More

LUCKNOW: The Shiv Sena first tested political waters in Uttar Pradesh in 1991, when the Ram Mandir movement was at its peak. After having fought 14 elections in the last 27 years without any success in the state’s complex political set up, Shiv Sena is all set to find feet again as its chief Uddhav Thackeray, along with trainloads of Shiv Sainiks, set foot on Ayodhya on Saturday, demanding construction of Ram temple.

Shiv Sena had first contested in Uttar Pradesh in the 1991 general elections, without any success. Amidst the rising clamour for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, Shiv Sena’s slogan “pehle mandir, phir sarkar” (first Ram temple, then think of government) is clearly aimed at making a mark in the state. Political observers say that by taking on the ruling BJP head on by questioning the intentions of the BJP on the construction of the temple, Shiv Sena strategy is to dwarf any other claim for the temple. Realising its minuscule presence in the state, the Shiv Sena is bringing in “sainiks” (volunteers) from its home state Maharashtra as it does not have a strong support base here. Despite the fact that Maharashtra, mainly Mumbai and and its vicinity, provides livelihood to lakhs of people from UP, Shiv Sena has not been welcome in the state as far as electoral success is concerned. The relationship between UP and Maharashtra has been such that Maharashtra has been celebrating UP Diwas – its establishment day --since decades, but not the Uttar Pradesh.

Maharashtra Diwas was celebrated here for the first time after chief minister Yogi Adityanath took the initiative after efforts by governor Ram Naik to raise the issue. The relations also remained strained for a while with Shiv Sena cadres targeting people from UP in Maharashtra and attacking them. Shiv Sena leadership, till the Dharm Sabha by VHP is over, is likely to attack the BJP, question its credentials for the construction of Ram temple and will bid to hijack the Ram temple issue from the Sangh Pariwar.